Born in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, Tony Granato was chosen 120th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. A star at Northwood Prep School, Granato went on to play four years at the University of Wisconsin where he was a two-time WCHA second team all-star and second team All-American. While at Winsconsin, Granato played for the United States at the 1983 and 1984 World Junior Championships and also represented his homeland at three straight World Championships beginning in 1985. In the summer of 1987, Granato committed to the US national team for the 1987-88 season and went on to represent his country at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Following the Olympic tournament Granato was assigned to the CHL's Colorado Flames.

In his first season in the NHL, the feisty right-winger scored 36 goals for the Rangers in 1988-89 and was named to the NHL all-rookie team. Halfway through the next season Granato was sent to the Los Angeles Kings along with Tomas Sandstrom for star centre Bernie Nicholls. As a King, Granato topped the 30-goal mark three times and helped the Kings reach the Stanley Cup final for the first time in franchise history in 1993. A member of Team USA at the 1991 Canada Cup tournament, Granato played five seasons with the Kings before signing as a free agent with the San Jose Sharks in the summer of 1996.

Upon his arrival with the Sharks, Granato brought veteran leadership on one of the league's up-and-coming squads. However, prior to making his debut with the Sharks, Granato suffered serious head injury in the latter stages of his playing career with the Kings which forced him to have an operation to remove an abnormal collection of blood in the left temporal lobe of his brain. Granato returned to the ice in 1996-97 fully recovered and his dedication while coming back from this injury was acknowledged when he was presented the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Granato continued to supply leadership and savvy on the club until he retired in 2001.

In the summer of 2002 the Colorado Avalanche hired Granato as an Assistant Coach and only a few short months later, he was appointed head coach after the team dismissed Bob Hartley.

REGULAR SEASON

PLAYOFFS

Season

Club

League

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

+/-

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

1982-83

Northwood Huskies

High-NY

34

32

60

92

1982-83

United States

WJC-A

7

4

0

4

4

1983-84

University of Wisconsin

WCHA

35

14

17

31

48

1983-84

United States

WJC-A

7

1

3

4

6

1984-85

University of Wisconsin

WCHA

42

33

34

67

94

1984-85

United States

WEC-A

9

4

2

6

10

1985-86

University of Wisconsin

WCHA

33

25

24

49

36

1985-86

United States

WEC-A

8

2

7

9

8

1986-87

University of Wisconsin

WCHA

42

28

45

73

64

1986-87

United States

WEC-A

9

2

3

5

12

1987-88

United States

Nat-Tm

49

40

31

71

55

1987-88

United States

Olympics

6

1

7

8

4

1987-88

Colorado Rangers

IHL

22

13

14

27

36

8

9

4

13

16

1988-89

New York Rangers

NHL

78

36

27

63

140

+17

4

1

1

2

21

1989-90

New York Rangers

NHL

37

7

18

25

77

+1

1989-90

Los Angeles Kings

NHL

19

5

6

11

45

-2

10

5

4

9

12

1990-91

Los Angeles Kings

NHL

68

30

34

64

154

+22

12

1

4

5

28

1991-92

United States

Can-Cup

7

1

2

3

12

1991-92

Los Angeles Kings

NHL

80

39

29

68

187

+4

6

1

5

6

10

1992-93

Los Angeles Kings

NHL

81

37

45

82

171

-1

24

6

11

17

50

1993-94

Los Angeles Kings

NHL

50

7

14

21

150

-2

1994-95

Los Angeles Kings

NHL

33

13

11

24

68

+9

1995-96

Los Angeles Kings

NHL

49

17

18

35

46

-5

1996-97

San Jose Sharks

NHL

76

25

15

40

159

-7

1997-98

San Jose Sharks

NHL

59

16

9

25

70

+3

1

0

0

0

0

1998-99

San Jose Sharks

NHL

35

6

6

12

54

+4

6

1

1

2

2

1999-00

San Jose Sharks

NHL

48

6

7

13

39

+2

12

0

1

1

14

2000-01

San Jose Sharks

NHL

60

4

5

9

65

-1

4

1

0

1

4

NHL Totals

773

248

244

492

1425

79

16

27

43

141

WCHA Second All-Star Team (1985, 1987) NCAA West Second All-American Team (1985, 1987) NHL All-Rookie Team (1989) Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (1997)
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1997)

Traded to Los Angeles by NY Rangers with Tomas Sandstrom for Bernie Nicholls, January 20, 1990. Signed as a free agent by San Jose, August 15, 1996.